Rob's parents visit

They rolled into town in the evening on Tuesday, March 29. We had them staying in the apartment next door to us, which was convenient. That night, we had dinner at Mama Lena's in downtown Waxhaw. Rob was in class each day but I was free so I hung out with them most of the time.

Wednesday - Rob was off in the morning so we go a chance to chit chat over breakfast and walk the grounds before lunch. We all had lunch in the cafeteria with the rest of the JAARS crew. When Rob went back to class in the afternoon, we visited the gift shop and the housing office, were we got directions to the airport for the following Monday (they had agreed to drop me off for my flight to Chicago). Later, we went into Waxhaw and visited an antique shop and the bead store. Dennis was "very patient" in the bead store. We picked Rob up back at the JAARS center and headed for the gym in Monroe. Dennis did the PACE workout with me and June did the bicycles. When we were fully exhausted, we went to Chick-fil-a; a regular thing for Rob and I but a new thing for Dennis and June.

Thursday - Dennis and June and I left early in the morn to drive to Savannah, GA and back. Lola, Dennis' cousin, is moving to Florida where her husband-to-be lives so we were bringing down some of her belongings for her. It was a long trip but it was good to see Lola and her new beau. We had true southern food at the Holiday Inn buffet just outside of Savannah and were surrounded by what looked like military police. I couldn't decide whether to feel safer or not. We had dinner at the Outback steakhouse in Columbia, SC on the way back.

Friday - We had a pretty laidback day. Dennis and I went to class in the morning to hear my friend Kim give a presentation on "the recordist character". After lunch, I wasn't feeling so great so I spent the better part of the afternoon in bed. I stayed home while Rob and his folks went to Bojangles in Waxhaw for dinner.

Saturday - The big day! Rob and I were doing a jazz gig at the Crossroads coffeehouse in the evening so we didn't want to get too worn out. We had a practice in the morning with Ken and Karl while Dennis and June relaxed back at the apartment. Three of the four of us in the band weren't feeling quite up to par so we were debating whether to go ahead with the gig or not but, in the end, passion prevailed. We went to the Andrew Jackson museum and the 8 Legs Gallery with the folks in the afternoon before coming home to get ready to perform. It was a good show. Rob played upright bass and I percussed and sang. I did Autumn Leaves, Summertime and The Girl From Ipanema. People were amused by my lyric source; the coffeehouse has wireless internet access so I downloaded lyrics to my PDA. I even got and sang Autumn Leaves in French, which was a surprise (hopefully pleasant) for my bandmates. Our performance was well-received. We all went home giddy and exhausted.

Sunday - We went to Spirit of Joy church in Matthews. June particularly enjoyed the service. I think she'd be an attender, if she lived here. In the afternoon, we cleaned up the apartment as they were moving to another spot on campus for their final evening, one where they wouldn't have to clean up in the morning as we were headed for the airport way early on Monday. We just kind of hung out for the rest of the day, ending off with dinner at Mama Lena's in the evening. We called it an early night as Rob was sniffly and others among us were feeling slightly run down from the week's excitement.

Monday - Off to the airport at 6:30AM. More to come later ...

Aaaagh!

No, I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. Yes, I am way behind in my blogging. But I have great reasons for that:

• Rob's parents were here for a week and I was totally focused on them for the week
• The following week, I was in Chicago; I got back Friday night

So, I'm back now, trying to catch up on household things. Will blog in a more detailed way on the events of the last 2 weeks within the next couple of days. Tune in for more!

First day of the seal hunt!

Rob's parents are coming this evening and I think I have everything ready. I just need to pick up their apartment key from the mailroom.

Was talking to Mom this morning. There's been a weird occurence on the ice this year; there are seals in as far as the shore, clearly visible from land. Who knows why, they don't usually come in together like that. We see an occasional lost one but nothing like this. And today is the first day of the seal hunt. For more information on the Canadian seal hunt, click here.

Funny quips ...

Came across these while looking for my printer receipt. Stuff I printed from a "Catma cannon" website which I can't find anymore. Don't even know who wrote the stuff. I hate to tote these scraps of paper all over the world so I'll just put them up here for everyone's enjoyment. Then I can throw the papers blissfully away.

• Did you ever find it ironic that Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address that "They will not remember what we say here"?
• Let anyone tell you that you're wrong. Don't ever believe it.
• Remember what you've said and done because others will.
• The "secret" service is more publically known than the NSA. Why is that?
• All the world is a stage and some people just can't act.
• Nothing suits people better than a well-fit suit.
• No one on this earth knows me better than ________.
• Have you ever considered that everything you know was given to you by someone else? Have you ever discovered anything purely on your own? Isn't that humbling?
• Simulations and simulacrums are different. Barely.
• If at first you don't succeed, change the rules.
• If life gives you lemons, throw them back, yell, scream and demand money.
• Sometimes you make mistakes. We all do. Well, all of you do.
• A friend is someone you can call to help you move. A real friend is someone you can call to help you move a body.
• Revolutions are always legal in the first person, such as our revolution. They are only illegal in the third person, such as their revolution.
• Humankind is human. The kind part is disputable.
• If God didn't want us to eat animals, why did he make them out of meat?
• It is not money but momentum that makes the world go around. Money just makes the revolutions more fun.
• The Conspiracy is like an onion; peel away the layers and there are just more layers. It also smells and makes you cry.
• Pain would be better if it didn't hurt so much.
• Power corrupts. Absolute power is kinda neat.
• The only thing sweeter than revenge is revenge on a paranoid.
• If you don't like it, don't do it. If you don't do it, don't complain about it.
• Make the world a better place by the time you leave it. [that's right, think about that one ...]
• Everyone has their own opinion. They're entitled to have it. You're entitled to mock that opinion, and convince them that it's wrong. They're entitled to the same.
• It's all in your backyard if you just take over the rest of reality and call it your "backyard".
• If stars are just burning balls of gas and planets are just cooled balls of gas, shouldn't the universe change its diet?
• The analogy that people are like sheep is one of the oldest humanity has. Do humans just like being compared to incredibly stupid animals or have they missed that part of the analogy?
• People could learn a lot from cats: especially about how to sit around doing nothing.
• Circular definition: see circular definition

Life without class

Sorry about the title ... couldn't resist [giggle].

I've been home alone since Tuesday, when Rob went back to class and I began catching up on things I didn't get done while I was in class myself. Some of my adventures include:

• trying to track down a receipt for the printer that broke in December so insurance will cover it. We had it before the move but it seems to be well hidden right now. I've got to go through every box ...
• looking at summer Greek study options at Lutheran seminaries for myself. Currently investigating a 6 week summer program in Columbia, SC.
• finding out about summer ethnomusicology courses at GIAL.
• 5 loads of laundry.
• creating a new webpage on our site to share some online shopping sites that I like.
• getting back to the gym after the virus thing that had me wiped for about 1.5 weeks went far, far away, never to return.
• calling USCIS (formerly known as the INS, prior to September 11) to see what the status is on my permanent residency. Basically, the application I filed June 2004 is not scheduled to be processed until after my temporary green card expires in August. Which means making an appointment in June for a meeting in July to get another temporary extension.
• figuring out our health insurance information so I can get my teeth looked at and new glasses/contacts. I think I warped my eyeglasses frame by washing it in too-hot water one time too often.